One of the Italian Air Force’s Frecce Tricolori Aermacchi MB-339 jets crashed on Saturday after taking off from Turin-Caselle Airport. The pilot managed to eject, but the aircraft ended up hitting a car where a family of four were traveling – a five-year-old girl died.
The air demonstration squadron had just taken off in formation from the airport when jet number 4 lost altitude and separated from the other aircraft. A video shows the moment of the plane’s ejection and crash (see below).
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According to Aeronautica Militare, Frecce Tricolori would perform in Vercelli. Major Oscar Del Do’, who piloted the MB-339 ‘Pony 4’, survived.
Although it states that it is not possible to confirm the causes of the accident, the Air Force cited the impact with a bird shortly after takeoff as one of the hypotheses.
The Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General of the Air Squadron Luca Goretti, on behalf of the entire Air Force, appalled and surprised by what happened this afternoon at Turin Caselle airport, joins the family of the girl victim of the plane crash involving a Frecce Tricolori aircraft,” the Air Force said in a statement.
Frecce Tricolori is one of the most prestigious aerobatic squadrons in the world and has been flying MB-339 trainer jets since 1982.
Just over 35 years ago, the squadron, officially called Pattuglia Acrobatica Nazionale (PAN), was involved in one of the most serious accidents ever to occur at air shows when three MB-339 jets collided in flight at Raimstein Air Base and fell onto the ground. public.
In addition to the three aircraft pilots, 57 spectators died and another 346 were seriously injured.
The accident caused aviation authorities to change the rules for displaying air shows, which began to be held at greater distances from the public.
